Longmire Season 5, Thoughts

I’ve watched Longmire since maybe season 2 or 3, when home for a weekend and convinced by my parents to give it a try. It was instantly addictive, and so when it was cancelled after season 3 and picked up by Netflix, I was as excited as every other diehard fan. The show has always been able to handle intense thematic elements in a very real way, and the characters are all truly relatable. The show was first described to me as spiritual, and I would agree with that term for lack of a better word. The show has a wholesomeness without being a morality tale that ends each episode with a lesson. It has deep running themes of loyalty, honor, respect, honesty, and fighting against oppression without feeling preachy. The other day Captain America and I were talking about how well it handles the issues of Native American culture, and the issues faced on reservations and beyond by America’s indigenous peoples. I marvel too at the fact that it is obvious how much work the production goes to to honor their culture and cast Native actors in roles for the show. They play a huge role in the show, and I must say I love how it handles everything from their traditions to their interactions with other characters.

Season 5 picks up at the crazy cliffhanger that season 4 left us with, and from that moment forward the season hooks you as only Longmire can. Every episode felt incredibly intense, and the tension was able to hold for the entire season, which is quite impressive. Once Netflix picked up the show, each episode became over an hour long, and so plots are able to unfold more fully and build tension and intrigue more in-depth than the show could on A&E.

Trying to keep this spoiler-lite in case people haven’t caught up yet, I must say this season was incredibly interesting because of the relationships and the strain they are all going through throughout the season. Season 5 sees Walt at odds with almost everyone; his relationship with his lifelong best friend, Henry Standing Bear, is the most tumultuous it has ever been on the show, and even his relationship with his daughter, Cady, is strained to the point of barely talking. Henry and Cady both seem to be aligning with someone Walt blindly continues to believe to be a bad guy, and this causes issues the entire season. Longmire is also at odds with many in the town, which is the culmination of all of the previous seasons and has been slowly building to what may be its conclusion next season. Although there were rumors that this was the end of the show, it seems to have been confirmed that the show will continue for at least one more season – and after the way this season ended, I must say I’m very happy that will be the case. There will be plenty of loose threads that need to be tied up with at least one more season.

All in all, I’ve been very happy in how Netflix has continued to honor the essence of the show and even expand on it. The two seasons that were done by Netflix have been incredibly true to the original soul of the show, and I can’t wait to see what they do with next season. If you haven’t ever checked out the show, try it out this weekend. It’s definitely a crime drama with a lot of spirit, and certainly very bingeable.

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Julia is a writer, reader, avid Netflix watcher, gamer, wife, and furbaby mom who loves wine and coffee way too much. Or is that even a thing? Formerly a contributor at LacunaLoft.org, current contributor to Comparative Geeks and occasional guest rambler on the website’s podcast, Comparative Opinions, which is on iTunes.

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